Qualifacts launches national clinical assessment platform

Qualifacts Systems, Inc. has announced the launch of integrated outcomes measure platform that facilitates its customers’ use of standard assessments within its electronic health record to measure and improve clinical outcomes. This standardized approach to measuring clinical quality is a key component of healthcare reform, including new pay for performance payment models, and Meaningful Use initiatives.

“As we move further down the road with healthcare reform, we have to show that our work is effective,” says Morgen A. R. Kelly, Ph.D., director of research and quality improvement with Family Services of Western Pennsylvania and chair of the Qualifacts Outcomes User Group. “Having the client assessment information readily available to clinicians, and trended over time, provides key data for quality improvements in clinical care.”

The first phase of standard assessments that will be integrated into the CareLogic product workflows includes the BSL 23 and PHQ 2, 4 and 9, and additional standardized measures, including those required for Meaningful Use are being added. The integration provides Qualifacts customers with the following:

• No set-up time
• Simplified reporting
• Flexible to agency’s preferred clinical workflow
• Ease of viewing when working in the EHR
• Supports inter-agency and intra-agency benchmarking
• Allows agency participation in pay for performance and health home models

“Our goal is to develop a flexible assessment system within CareLogic that is both clinically relevant and meaningful for outcomes assessment,” says Mary Givens, meaningful use program manager for Qualifacts and Outcomes User Group coordinator. “Meaningful use is about improving the quality, safety, and efficiency in patient care while healthcare reform brings greater accountability from providers to payers. Payers will move more and more toward paying for ‘quality not quantity,’ and meaningful use, including the measurement of key clinical healthcare initiatives, is where the rubber meets the road.”